Ring of Kerry
The Ring of Kerry is one of the most celebrated scenic drives in Ireland, a 179-kilometre circular route around the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry that encompasses some of the most spectacular Atlantic coastal scenery in Europe, including the MacGillycuddy's Reeks mountain range, the Kerry coastline with its islands and inlets, the monastic island of Skellig Michael visible offshore and the characteristic Kerry landscape of small farms, stone walls and the brilliant green of Atlantic Ireland. The route is one of the principal tourist circuits in the Republic of Ireland and passes through or near several significant heritage and natural sites. The mountain scenery of the Ring is dominated by the MacGillycuddy's Reeks, Ireland's highest mountain range, whose peaks including Carrauntoohil at 1,039 metres provide a dramatic backdrop throughout the western section of the circuit. The Killarney National Park at the eastern end of the ring encompasses the famous Lakes of Killarney, the oak and yew woodlands of the Kerry mountains and Muckross House, combining to create one of the most significant natural heritage areas in Ireland. The view of the Skelligs from the western peninsulas of the Kerry coast is one of the great Irish seascapes, the two rock pyramids rising from the Atlantic horizon providing a dramatic focal point for the coastal scenery. Skellig Michael, the larger of the two, supports the ruins of an early medieval monastery whose isolation on this Atlantic sea stack provides the most austere and most dramatic example of the eremitic impulse in Irish Christianity. The towns and villages on the Ring, including Kenmare, Waterville and Cahersiveen, provide visitor facilities and reflect the character of rural Kerry with its music, food and hospitality traditions.